This diminutive noun refers to a young or small donkey, a donkey colt. In John 12:14, it describes Jesus' mount for the triumphal entry: 'Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written.' The detail fulfills Zechariah 9:9's prophecy about the king coming 'humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.' The diminutive form may emphasize the animal's smallness or youth, underscoring the humility of Jesus' royal entry—no warhorse but a humble beast of burden.